Dallas' Jamie Benn is one of the guys the Ducks must stop. Here, goalie Frederik Andersen defends against him, but Benn did score a goal on Wednesday. CHRISTINE COTTER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

ANAHEIM – There isn’t a lot of mystery for the Ducks to figure out a game plan on defending the Dallas Stars in their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

First order of business is stopping Jamie Benn. Second order of business is stopping Tyler Seguin.

Those two have driven the Stars throughout the 2013-14 season and are the clear focal point for the Ducks. Only the Ducks’ Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, who finished among the league’s top five in scoring, were more productive as a duo than Benn and Seguin.

Seguin tallied 37 goals and 47 assists this season, while Benn also put up career-high numbers with 34 goals and 45 assists. The two accounted for 30 percent of the Stars’ 235 goals.

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau started his big guys against them and is employing speedy defensemen Cam Fowler and Ben Lovejoy to track their movements.

“I think that’s why Bruce has a lot of confidence with us,” Fowler said. “Ben Lovejoy is a very naturally gifted skater. We all know that’s a big part of my game too. It keeps us engaged.

“When we have to play against a really fast, good transition team, I think having the two guys back there that can really skate and work well with each other is a big help.”

Just as defending against Benn and Seguin in the defensive zone will be critical, the Ducks’ work in the neutral zone will be just as important. Boudreau said that is the area where they gain speed going up the ice.

“I’ve seen them both skate,” Boudreau said. “And when they’re in full gallop, they’re tough to stop.”

Checking winger Andrew Cogliano said it is also important that they make Benn and Seguin play defense. Francois Beauchemin said the Ducks have to be physical and clog up the space in the neutral zone.

“Because if you play in the neutral zone, you don’t give them room,” Beauchemin said. “They won’t come in with the puck and they won’t come in with control. They’ll have to make plays in the neutral zone and dump it in.

“That’s the way we have to do it. Just not let them in the zone with full control of the puck.”

Fowler and Lovejoy have answered the call from a defensive standpoint, which has helped ease the load on Beauchemin and rookie Hampus Lindholm.

“I think Bruce has trusted me and Ben for most of the year against the other teams’ top players,” Fowler said. “They have some dangerous players over there besides those two. They’re obviously the catalysts for their team.

“But you need to be aware of where most of those guys are on the ice. It’s a challenge and I think we’re all up for it.”

YOUNGSTER IN GOAL

Frederik Andersen is the youngest goalie to start a playoff game for the Ducks and just the third rookie to play in one for the franchise.

Tom Askey and Ilya Bryzgalov are the other two. Askey made just one playoff appearance, relieving Guy Hebert in Game 1 of the West quarterfinals against Detroit in 1999. The Mighty Ducks lost, 5-3, and were swept.

Bryzgalov had a far more substantial run in 2006. He drew a surprise Game 1 start in place of an ailing Jean-Sebastien Giguere at Calgary and took a 2-1 defeat but ultimately shut out the Flames in Game 7 to send the Ducks to the semifinals.

Jonas Hiller, the Ducks’ No. 1 starter for the majority of the season, served as Andersen’s backup as Boudreau opted to go with experience over John Gibson in case Andersen faltered.

RESPECT FOR OPPONENT

Boudreau has a healthy amount of respect for Dallas coach Lindy Ruff, who has the Stars back in the playoffs in his first season after a 15-year run with Buffalo.

“I always thought he was one of the smartest guys out there and hardest to figure out because he could adapt very easily,” Boudreau said. “I've known him for a long time.”

Of Ruff’s job with the Stars, Boudreau said, “He's a good coach. Once you're a good coach, you're a good coach.

“He made the playoffs a lot of years in Buffalo with not a really great team. I think this is a lot better team than he's had in the past other than the ’99 team when Dallas won the Cup. He's done a lot of good stuff.”

NOTES

Defensemen Luca Sbisa and Sami Vatanen were scratched, as well as forwards Rickard Rakell and Devante Smith-Pelly. ... Dallas played without Brenden Dillon, a key member of its defense corps who averages 21 minutes a contest.

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